Other indicators
Acidification
Recycling when assessed appears as the best option, except in study no 7. Indeed, the recycling scenario in study
no 7 corresponds to a feedstock recycling scenario in which the biopolymer waste is used as a reducing agent
in blast furnaces, which is less advantageous than replacing virgin biopolymer material. Composting and landfill
have more impacts than the other alternatives regarding this indicator.
Table 54 Ranking of end-of-life options within each scenario for acidification
Case Composting RecyclingIncineration
with energy
recoveryLandfill Anaerobicdigestion^1[MB] + +++ +
1[OCT] + +++ +
2[PLA] + +++ +
2[MB] + +++ ++ +
2[BIO] + +++ ++
3[PLA1] 1 ++++ 1 +++
3[PLA1] 2 ++++ 2 ++ +++ best option
6[PLA] + +++ ++ intermediary option
6[CE] + +++ + worst option
7[MAS] 1 +++ 1 +++ ++ option^ not^ assessedAcidification
(kg SO2 eq)Studies n°4 and 5 do not include this indicator(^1) Feedstock recycling scenario
(^2) Chemical recycling scenario
Photochemical oxidation
According to the studies analysed, incineration with energy recovery seems to be the worst alternative. This is
not the case in study n°7 but the ranking for this study should be moderated since all the alternatives are very
close to each other regarding this indicator.
Table 55 Ranking of end-of-life options within each scenario for photochemical oxidation
Case Composting RecyclingIncineration
with energy
recoveryLandfill Anaerobicdigestion^2[PLA] ++ + +++
2[MB] ++ +++ + ++
2[BIO] ++ + +++
3[PLA1] 1 ++++ 1 ++
3[PLA1] 2 ++++ 2 ++ +++ best option
6[PLA] +++ + ++ intermediary option
6[CE] +++ + + worst option
7[MAS] 1 +++ 1 +++ ++ option not assessed
Studies n°1, 4 and 5 do not include this indicator(^1) Feedstock recycling scenario
(^2) Chemical recycling scenario
Photochemical
oxydation
(kg ethylene
eq)
Eutrophication
Composting appears as the preferable option when recycling is not analyzed. This is due to the avoided
production of fertilizers. In study no 2, landfill seems to be a good end-of-life option regarding this indicator.
Table 56 Ranking of end-of-life options within each scenario for eutrophication
Case Composting RecyclingIncineration
with energy
recoveryLandfill Anaerobicdigestion^1[MB] +++ +++ +
1[OCT] +++ +++ +
2[PLA] +++ + +++
2[MB] ++ +++ + ++
2[BIO] ++ + +++ +++ best option
3[PLA1] 1 ++++ 1 +++ ++ intermediary option
3[PLA1] 2 ++++ 2 ++ + worst option
7[MAS] 1 ++ + 1 +++ ++ option not assessed
Studies n°4, 5 and 6 do not include this indicator(^1) Feedstock recycling scenario
Eutrophication
(kg PO4 eq)
(^2) Chemical recycling scenario